By Andrea Goddard, Quiltique
Advent calendar are on of my favorite things about the Christmas season. As a child I loved counting down the days until Christmas. Buntings are everywhere in sewing and are quick and easy, together they make a unique, quick decoration!
Feel free to download my PDF of numbers to print out and iron on or create your own!
Supplies
2 Yards of background fabric
Cut into 50 seven inch squares
½ yard contrasting Fabric
Binding Fabric
Thread
Transfer Artist Paper (TAP)
Blue Clover Bias Binding Tape Maker
Preparation
Cut out 50 tumbler blocks from the Accuquilt Go! Die 55020 Tumbler – 6 ½” by following the Accuquilt Go! directions.
From your contrasting fabric cut 25 4 ½” X 6” rectangles.
Fold ½” down across the long edge of the rectangle and press. Topstitch this edge to create a finished seam.
Sandwich the contrasting fabric in between two pieces of background fabric making sure that the bottom seams are lined up. You will notice that the left and right sides of the contrasting fabric will stick out a bit.
Sew around the edges of the tumbler block leaving the top unstitched with ¼” seam. You will sew using the edge of the tumbler as your guide.
Trim off the extra contrast fabric. Turn right sides out making sure to push out the corners. Press.
Edgestitch with a small zig-zag around the three edges leaving the top unstitched. Make 25 of these pieces.
Print out the PDF “numbers” onto the transfer artist paper making sure that you are printing out to actual size.
Follow directions for the Transfer Artist Paper and press the numbers into place. You will want to center the number on each piece about ½ inch above the contrast fabric.
Cut bias binding strips 2 ½” wide from your binding fabric. You will want to make enough bias binding for two 120 inch pieces. I used the Blue Clover Bias Tape Maker to create my binding. It makes pressing the binding quick and easy! To start feeding the strip through the tape maker make sure to cut the fabric at an angle. This will make it much easier to feed through. Simply press as you pull the tape maker along your strip.
Numbers 1-2 will go on one piece and numbers 13-25 on the other. Find the center of your binding strip for the first piece. This will be the spot inbetween numbers 6 and 7. Pin in place. Follow with the rest of the numbers so that the edges just touch.
Topstitch the entire binding catching the panels as you sew.
Repeat for the second bunting centering number 19 in the center of the binding strip.
Tie a small knot at the ends of each bunting and hang as desired.
Be creative with your advent fillings and begin counting down the days until Christmas! You can fill them with candy or holiday related ideas for the family to participate in.
Fabrics used are Sentimental Holidays by Moda Fabrics and Stof Linen.